Vending machine



Sept. 17, 1940. s. E. VAN TUYL VENDING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1939 4Sheets-Sheet l.

75 ATTORNEY.

Sept. 17, 1940. s. E. VAN TUYL 2,215,024

VENDING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1939 4 sheets sheet g ]Zy&

ATTORNE VENTOR.

Sept. 17, 1940. s. E. VAN TUYL VENDING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1939 4Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORf Sidny 1?. Van Ta 2/ HIS ATTORN Sept. 17, 1940.s. E. VAN TUYL VENDING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ema;z

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Patented Sept. 17, 1940 VENDING MACHINE Sidney E. Van; Tuyl, Bcrwyn,111., assignor to Claude R. Kirk, River Forest, Ill.

Application June 23, 1939, Serial No. 280,712

3 Claims.

This invention relates to vending machines, especially those adapted tovend merchandise in units or packages, for example, bottled goods.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of improved meansfor racking and conveying the bottles in a cooling chamber.

Another object is the provision of improved dispensing means for liftingbottles one at a time from the conveyor into a position of access to thepurchaser.

A further object is the combination with the aforesaid dispensing meansof a gang coin control for permitting only one, dispensing device, amongseveral, to be operated upon deposit of one coin in a coin testingdevice common to all dispensing units.

A further object is the provision of dispensing elevators operatedmanually to lift bottles one at a time from the feeding conveyor, andmeans 20 for preventing operation of the elevator when there is nobottle thereon, together with means for holding the elevator in raisedposition until the bottle is removed.

Yet another object is the provision of means 25 cooperating with eachdispensing elevator for preventing movement of bottles from the conveyorinto the elevator when the latter is partially raised.

Other objects and novel aspects of the inven- 30 tion relate to detailsof construction, operation, andcombinations or elements in theillustrative embodiment described hereinafter in view of the annexeddrawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective of a complete machine;

35 Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary perspective of the gang coin controlremoved from the cabinet;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the entire machine andtaken along line 33 of Fig, 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectionthrough one bottle compartment looking down along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

45 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section of the gang control asseen in the direction of line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is another fragmentary transverse section which shows some of thebottle dispensers or 50 elevators, as seen along line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged perspective detail of the conveyor chain andelevating means;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the adjustable spacing means for theelevator compartments.

65 Fig. 9 is a horizontal-sectional detail of elevator shelf latches andmounting, similar to the left end of Fig. 4 but to larger scale;

Fig. 10 is an inside elevational view of an elevator shelf latch;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective of an ele- 5 vator shelf latch. Y

Referring to Fig. 1 the machine as an entirety includes a tank-likehousing or cabinet l2 provided with a top I3 slidable on rollers H, atone end, and upon a sealing ramp l5 at the opposite 10 end (Fig. 3) soas to expose the dispensing and control mechanism l6 as well as theinterior of the tank, which is guarded by a locked grille l1. Whenclosed, as at the right of Fig, 3, the inner end of the top settlesagainst the ramp, and when 16 opened, rides up onto the ramp as seen atcenter left in Fig. 3. A coin testing unit I8 is mounted at the front ofthe cabinet.

All of the bottle-feeding control levers 20 of control mechanism l6 arenormally free for actu- 20 ation and by moving a selected one of thelevers 20 toward the front (left) of the machine, a bottle or other itemof merchandise will be transported onto a manual dispensing elevatorwhich may be raised by grasping the corresponding handle 2| when aproper coin is deposited in the device l8, so that the selected bottlewill be raised to a position of access for removal by the purchaser.

Means for stacking and feeding bottles from within the tank into theelevators, includes a plurality of continuous chains 22 each trainedaround spaced sprockets 23 so as to move ina vertical plane, (Figs. 3and 4) Bottles are lined up on the upper run of each chain, which liesin a support- .ing channel track 25 with enough exposed to engage thebottoms of the bottles (Fig. '7).

Additional support for the bottles is provided by side tracks 26flanking each chain track. It will be understood that there are as manyseparate chain feeding units are required, all arranged in 40 parallelside by side arrangement as shown in Fig. 6, and the several units areseparated by partitions 21.

The control mechanism includes the several levers 20, one for each chainfeed, each lever being pivoted as at 28 (Fig. 7) on one of thepartitions, and each having an offset foot 29 on which I is pivoted apawl 30 arranged to grab into the chain links of the lower run when thelever is pivoted in one direction (clockwise Fig. 7, anti- 5 clockwiseFig. 3) so as to move the chain a distance adequate to carry the leadingbottle onto an elevator shelf 3| (Fig. 7) at the front end of the chain.When the levers are restored in the opposite direction, the pawls 30slip ineffectively over the chain links, A short channel track sectiona. supports each lower chain run beneath its driving pawl.

Each of the shelves 3| is provided as at 32 (Figs. 7, 10, 11) in acorresponding dispensing elevator 33 in the form of an elongated,open-sided box mounted so that its length shifts vertically, thusleaving the open side opposite the end of its feeding chain for movementof the bottles onto the shelf 3| therein. The top end of each elevatorbox is closed and carries a handle 2|.

Each shelf is normally pivoted by spring means 34 to project the end ofan integral arm 35 through a slot in the elevator wall and into a slot36 in an adjoining wall portion, which in this construction is apartition or mounting plate 50a separating the elevators from thecoin-controlled mechanism, whereby the elevator is latched againstmovement upward from its normally lowered position. However, the weightof a bottle on the shelf will pivot the same to withdraw the arm 35 fromlatching position in which it is shown in Figs. '7 and 10) and free theelevator for upward movement into the position of Fig. 11.

When the elevator has been moved upwardly a certain distance, a secondlatching pawl 31 on the shelf will ride against the stationary wallmember 50a to support the shelf against downward pivoted movement andwill move into another slot 38 in the wall member 50a, by action of theshelf under weight of the bottle, to lock the elevator in raised (middlecompartment Fig. 9; also Fig. 11) position until the bottle is removed,whereupon the spring means 34 will raise the shelf to withdraw the pawl31, and the elevator will drop to normal position, the shock beingabsorbed by a rubber strip 39 common to all elevators.

Means for preventing fraudulent manipulation of a second bottle into theelevator after the same 'has been partly raised, includes (Figs. 7, 9,11) diverging hinge strips 40 at the elevator end of each partition, thehinge plates on opposite sides of each chain being pivotable toward eachother about their respective vertical axes to block movement of a bottleonto the elevator shelf. Means for moving the blocking strips 40 intoblocking position includes the provision on each elevator of a pair ofopposite cam wings 4| flank? ing the entrance thereto and each having acam edge 4ladisposed beneath one of the opposite blocking strips toengage and pivot the latter into blocking position when the elevatorrises a short distance from normally lowered position.

When the elevator is lowered, the proper advance of the next bottle willswing the blocking strips out the path of the bottle.

In order further to prevent fraudulent manipulation, each elevator isprovided with an adjustable spacing back 42, such as shown in Fig. 8,and which consists of a channel-shaped plate having top and bottom wings43 on its opposite side which fit into spaced slots 44 in mounting arms45 projecting from the inner back wall of each elevator (see also Fig.3). Thus the spacing back plates 42 may be fitted into different slots44 to accommodate bottles of different diameter so as not to leave toomuch play between the bottle and surrounding parts of the elevator. Eachspacing plate is urged upwardly by coil spring means 46 to hold the samein the selected slots.

Means for controlling an entire gang of elevators by a single cointesting unit includes the mechanism shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 5,

wherein each elevator 33 is provided with a vertically extending cam bar41 welded or otherwise attachedflush against a vertical flange plate orstrip 48 which is attached to a narrower block 49 so as to form oppositevertical track grooves with the back of the corresponding elevator, and.in which grooves the marginal edges 50 (Figs. 4, 7, 9) of a verticalslot in the mounting plate 50a ride to support the elevator for verticalmovement.

Each cam bar 41 has a camming nose 5| adapted to work between thecontiguous nose parts 52 and 53 of T-shaped blocking levers 54,

' each pivoted as at 55 (coaxially with a companion interlocking lever90) (Fig. 5) to the vertical mounting plate 50a in between pairs ofadjoining cam bars. Thus, between each pair of cam bars is a T-shapedblocking lever arranged with the opposite ends 52, 53 of the cross barof the T disposed to abut an end of an adjoining T-lever.

In the T-head or cross bar of each T-lever is an arcuate slot 56a intowhich projects a stationary stud 56 from the main mounting plate 50a tolimit movement of the lever, spring means 51 attached to a pin 93 on thecompanion interlocking lever being provided for each main T lever tourge the same into a. normal position away from the master member 60.

When an effort is made to raise any elevator, the nose 5| of thecorresponding cam bar will work in bctween the contiguous ends of the T-levers thereabove, but the lever on the right (Fig. 2) cannot give waybecause of the limiting action of stud 56 in slot 56a so the left-handlever gives way toward the left, provided there is nothing at the leftextremity 53 thereof to block such movement.

In the present embodiment, there is provided a master blocking lever 60pivoted to move in the same manner as the rest of the levers anddisposed adjacent the last T-lever at the left of the group. The masterlever has a blocking head 6| which is contiguous to the next adjoiningblocking lever and forms a pair with the latter, which functions withthe corresponding cam bar 41 similarly to the other pairs of T-levers.

The master blocking lever coacts with the coin control unit I8 throughthe agency of a pair of coin-controlled levers 62 and pivoted coaxiallyon interfitting shafts 64 and 65 journaled within the unit Ill. Theshaft 64 of lever 63 connects with a link lever 66 which has pin andslot engagement 61 with the master blocking lever, while the shaft 65 oflever 62 is connected through an offset link 68 pivoted as at 69 to oneleg of a bell crank latch lever 10 pivoted as at H on the main mountingplate 50a. The bell crank latch lever has a hooked latching part 12disposed normally to engage the pin means 61 on the master lever torestrain movement of the latter. Thus, so long as the latching lever isin normal position, no T-lever can shift, and hence no cam bar can enterbetween the contiguous ends of the T-lever, and hence no elevator can beraised.

The free ends of the coin levers 62 and 63 are each provided withlateral coin-engaging pins 62a and 63a respectively, which are disposednormally in spaced relation relative to a coin seat 13 having a coinentrance 14 through which coin elements accepted by any desired form oftesting device (not shown) pass to rest on the seat between the coinpins 62a and 63a.

It should be observed that there is a normal amount of idle movement orfree play between the parts 66-61, 68-12, and T-lever parts ll-M-JS-Bl,with the result that an attempt to lift one of the elevators ill actuatethe coin levers B2 and 93 will be coupled by the coin for iointmovement, the free play and arrangement of parts being such that thelatching hook II will be raised to permit .a full operative movement ofthe parts so that the T-levers may yield and permit raising of theelevator.

The coupling coin is carried by the studs or pins 92a, 53a off the seattoward the left (Fig. 2),

and the ratio of displacement of coin lever 93 to that of lever 62 issuch that by the time the coin is carried into alignment with anacceptance exit 15, lever 62 pullsaway from lever 63 and widens thedistance between the studs so as to release the coin for gravitationthrough exit 15.

To prevent fraudulent partial raising of the elevatorsafter deposit of acoin, there is provided a full-stroke mechanism'including a rack ofteeth 16 on each cam bar, and a spring-urged dog TI for each rack andwhich rides over the teeth thereon without interference to the upwardmovement of the elevator, but which will jam with said teeth to preventdescent of .the elevator unless the latter is fully raised, whereuponthe lower end of the rack will pass the nose of the dog and pivot into anon-jamming relation to the teeth so that the elevator may descend.

To prevent any possibility of jamming the coin control, should a coin ofless than the requisite diameter for any reason find its way onto theseat 13, there is provided a scavenging means in theform of an ejectingstud 80 (Fig. 2) which fits into a recess in the seat beneath the coin,and which is secured to an ejecting arm 8| pivoted as at 82 and havingpivotal connectionas at 83 with a scavenging lever 84 (upper left, Fig.3). A button 95 on the top of the coin unit may be pushed to rock lever8i and cause stud to raise the undersized coin from its seat formovement into a reject or return exit 86, for clearance from the machine(Fig. 2).

To preclude fraudulent manipulation of'the elevators, there is providedan interlocking mechanism which will restrain substantial elevatingmovement of all other elevators, when one is legitimately raised, orwhen an attempt is made to raise several elevators at the same time, orto raise one before lowering of the legitimately raised elevator ordispenser.

This interlocking fraud preventive mechanism includes a plurality ofauxiliary or interlocking T levers similar in construction'to the main Tlevers 54 in that each interlocking lever has opposite nose portions 9|and 92 at the opposite ends of the crossbar of the T. r

The interlocking T levers differ from the main or blocking T levers inthat the nose portions 9|, 92 thereof do not engage with adjacent Tlevers but respectively fit into -V-shaped notches 9|a in the oppositeedges of the flange strips or plates 48 of the two adjoining elevators.

There is one interlocking T lever pivotally mounted behind each main orblocking T lever, preferably on the same pivot pin 55. However, thepivotal movement of the interlocking levers is limited by means such asthe pins or projections 93 thereon, which extend respectively intohorizontally elongated slots 94 in the corresponding main levers, boththe main and interlocking levers being disposed in the normal positionshown in Fig. 2 by action of the springs 51 which are respectivelyattached to one of the pins 93.

When any main T lever shifts from normal position, the correspondinginterlocking lever also shifts as a result of the pin and slot coupling-93 94; and the next adjoining elevator on the left (toward the masterblocking lever 60) is locked by engagement of nose9l in notch 9la to theleft.

It should be observed that when'any interlocking T lever shifts asaforesaid, the righthand nose 92 thereof is first cammed out of thenotch 92a on its right (since the cam bar 41 -must be elevated a certainidle distance before engaging the main T lever part 52), and when thecam bar is thus elevated, the nose 92 on the corresponding interlockinglever rides along the edge of the flange strip (on the right thereof) sothat it is at all events impossible for such interlocking lever to bewithdrawn from notch 9Ia to release the elevator on the left so long asthe latter is raised substantially.

It is also important to observe that any elevators to the right of theone thus elevated,

are locked by action of the corresponding flange plate in moving towithdraw the notch 9la from normal position relative to the nextinterlocking lever on the right.

Thus, all interlocking levers on one side of a raised elevator (towardthe' master lever) are shifted into interlocking position by shifting ofthe contiguous main levers, while the interlocking lever on the oppositeside of said elevator remote from the master lever is blocked by theflange plate of the raised elevator, and therefore effects a mutuallocking of all remaining contiguous levers through the pin and slotcouplings 93-94, supplemented by the blocking of such remainingcontiguous main levers by the raised elevator.

Operation Assuming that a stock of bottled goods has been seriallyaligned on the several carriers or feeding chains 22, the patron maypush the sliding top 13 back to expose the selectively operable levers20, which may be supplied with name plates indicating the nature of thegoods in the several compartments.

The selectively operable feeding levers may be rocked back and forth atwill even though no coin has been deposited, and the means making thispossible is one of the features of the invention. If one of the levers20 has been operated to move a bottle into the corresponding elevatorcompartment, without operating the elevator to remove the bottle, and ifthis same lever is again operated, the next succeeding bottle willmerely bear against the one already resting in the elevator, but therewill be no appreciable resistance to the movement of the lever 20 northe feeding chain 22, since the latter is arranged to slip beneath thebottoms of the bottles if for any reason they cannot move. Thus, injuryto the system is obviated from deliberately improper or carelessoperation of this part of the machine.

The patron may deposit a proper coin in the coin entrance l8a, eitherprior or subsequent to operation of one of the levers 20, and the coinwill ultimately rest between the coin-engaging studs or pins 62a and 63aand couple the locking and release levers for cooperation.

The patron next grasps the handle 2| of the elevator whose lever 20 hasbeen operated, and the elevator is raised, causing the associated cambar 41 to wedge between the T-shaped blocking levers, thus preventingoperation of any other elevator, and also shifting such of the T levers'54 as happen to be disposed between the raised elevator and masterlever 60, whereby to actuate the coin control levers 66-68, which willeflect a release of the latch Ill-l2 provided the coin levers 8263 arecoupled by a coin. The selected elevator, moreover, cannot be lowereduntil it has been fully raised. As the elevator reaches fully raisedposition, the bottle therein tilts partly out the open vertical sidethereof as illustrated in Fig. 3, where it is accessible to the patron.

When the elevator moves into fully raised position, it is locked againstdescent until the bottle is removed as a result of the automaticoperation of the shelf latch means 3l-3l (Fig. '7). When the weight ofthe bottle is removed from the shelf, the shelf spring raises the sameto withdraw the latch, and in this position of the elevator, thefull-stroke dog I1 is already released, so that the elevator may fallback to normal position.

The coin whichwas deposited as aforesaid, is automatically released frombetween the studs 62a, 63a, as soon as it is shifted by the latter to aposition over the coin acceptance exit I5.

It is recognized that changes may be made in the specifically detailedarrangement described, all without departing from the real scope of theinvention, and it is therefore contemplated that the appended claimswill be given the broadest possible interpretation permitted by thepresent state of the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vending machine, article storing and feeding and dispensingmeans comprising, in combination, spaced horizontally extendingsupporting rails along which the bottoms of stored articles rest, acontinuous band and means supporting the same to be trained in avertical plane with an upper run extending in parallelism between saidrails so as to engage said article bottoms and transport said articlesas a group toward an end of the rails constituting a delivery 'end,oscillatable lever means arranged to move said band in one directiononly toward said delivery end, and an article dispensing receptaclearranged for movement back and forth into and out of alignment with saiddelivery'end to receive articles from said rails and transport saidarticles to a dispensing position.

2. In an article feeding and dispensing mechanism including an articlereceptacle movable back and forth from article receiving to articledispensing position and article supporting and feeding means having adischarge terminus opposite the receiving position of said dispensingreceptacle, the combination with said supporting and feedingmeans anddispensing receptacle, of fraud preventive means comprising: blockingmeans arranged at said terminus for movement into and out of position toblock passage of articles toward said receptacle, said blockingmeansbeing arranged to be moved into non-blocking position by an articlemoved by said feeding means toward said receptacle, and means operatedby said receptacle when the latter moves a predetermined distance awayfrom article receiving position to move and hold said blocking means inblocking position.

3. Control mechnism for use with a series of selectively operablemembers, said mechanism comprising, in combination, a series of T leversarranged with the ends of the T cross bar in contiguity, meanspreventing movement of said levers toward one end of the series, amaster lever normally blocking movement of the T lever at the oppositeend of said series, means releasably latching said master lever againstmovement, means actuated by each of said selectively operable membersfor movement in between the contiguous parts of a corresponding pair ofsaid levers to shift one or more of the same toward said master leverfor operative displacement provided the master lever is released formovement, whereby movement of other selectively operable members thanthe one first moved as aforesaid will be blocked, and fraud preventivemeans in-- cluding a series 01 interlocking T levers each operablycoupled with one of said first-mentioned T levers and arranged forcoaction with the latter to interlock with all selectively operablemembers between that one of the latter which is operated and the masterlever, and to prevent movement of any selectively operable member on theother side of that one of the same which is raised and which is remotefrom said master lever, by blocking coaction of the correspondinginterlocking and T levers.

SIDNEY E. VAN TJYL.

